Turku. Turku is the oldest city in Finland and the country’s first capital, as it was founded in the 13th century by the Swedes as the seat of the Bishop of Turku and the main residence of the Swedish governor of Finland. It is situated on the southwestern tip of Finland on the Baltic Sea, separated from Sweden by the Gulf of Bothnia. The city hosts the three oldest universities in Finland, including the only one where courses are taught in Swedish. In 1812, shortly after Finland was wrested from Sweden by the Russian Empire, the capital was transferred to Helsinki, which is closer to Russia. Turku, however, has remained an important city to this day, and its historical significance and wonderful monuments earned the city the title of European Cultural Capital in 2011.
Panoramic tour of Turku. We will start at the Old Great Square. Here is situated the Old City Hall building, the Houses Brinkkala, Juselius and Hjelt, and the Orthodox Church, built in 1845 by order of the Tsar Nicholas I. Next to it is located the Cathedral of Turku, the most ancient and important religious building in Finland. It was built in the 13th century in wood. Consecrated in 1300, the cathedral was rebuilt in stone and expanded during the 14th and 15th centuries. It was also extensively restored in the 19th century, after the Great Fire of Turku. We can still appreciate some original Romanesque and Gothic elements, along with the more recent Neo-Gothic ones. In front of the Cathedral is located the old Academy, today working as a tribunal house. We will see the building of the Rectorate and also the one of the Museum of Art, a great example of Romantic Nationalism. In Vartivuori Hill we will admire some of the old characteristic wooden buildings of Turku that survived the fire in 1827. Next to the river Aura we will also see the wooden Qwensel House, hosting the Pharmacy Museum. We will pass by St. Michael Church, in Neo-gothic style, and the surprisingly modern St. Martin Church, in functionalism style. We will also visit the Turku Castle, the most important medieval building in Finland. Built in the 13th century as a defensive fortress, it was subsequently growing in size and importance. It stood many sieges and battles along its troubled history. It was bombed by the soviets during the World War II, and has been restored in the ‘90s, recovering its imposing original shape. It is divided between a medieval keep and a Renaissance bailey. In the island of Kakserta we will see the austere building of the Brinkhall Manor and the Kakserta Church.
